The League's highest award is given to a person, group, or institution judged to have made an outstanding contribution over the years to the conservation of America's renewable natural resources. In most years, only one award is presented, and in some years an award is not presented if worthy applicants are not identified. Awards are presented in July at the League's national convention for lifetime achievement through the year before the award is made.
2023 Wes Sheets
2022 Miles Greenbaum
2021 None
2020 None
2019 None
2018 None
2017 None
2016 Robert Stegmier
2015 Jim Madsen
2014 Herb and Charlotte Read
2013 Chuck Clayton
2012 Lloyd Miller
2011 Dale Brentnall
2010 Raymond Zehler
2009 Timothy W. Reid, Mike Williams
2008 Chuck and Gail Woosley
2007 Paul W. Hansen
2006 James A. Haring
2004 None
2003 Monty Montgomery
2002 Stan M. Adams
2001 Dr. Roy Overton
2000 Donald Ferris
1999 None
1998 Paul Toren
1997 Charles and Leila Wiles
1996 None
1995 Jack Lorenz
1994 None
1993 Judge Howard White
1992 David Zentner
1991 None
1990 Jane Dustin
1989 None
1988 None
1987 Willard M. Munger
1986 None
1985 Frank Bellrose
1984 David and Judy Siddon
1983 None
1982 None
1981 U.S. Senator John C. Culver (Iowa)
1980 Earl Sandvig
1979 M.L. Bud Heinselman, Donald Fraser
1978 None
1977 None
1976 None
1975 Malcolm King
1974 Thomas E. Dustin
1973 Frank B. Hubachek
1972 Joseph W. Penfold
1971 Raymond A. Hails
1970 U.S. Congressman John P. Saylor (Pennsylvania)
1969 Sigurd F. Olson
1968 Vinton W. Bacon
1967 Hon. Paul H. Douglas (U.S. Senator from Illinois)
1966 Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson
1965 U.S. Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall (Colorado)
1964 Hon. Stewart L. Udall (Secretary of the Interior)
1963 Rachel Carson
1962 Lawrence S. Rockefeller
1961 None
1960 Maytag Company
1959 Seth Gordon
1958 Dr. E.R. Kalmbach
1957 Clifford R. Hope
1956 Arthur H. Carhart
1955 Resources for the Future Inc
1954 Dr. Ira N. Gabrielson
1953 None
1952 Muskingum Watershed Conservancy, District Of Ohio
1951 Dr. Hugh Hammond Bennett (known as "the father of soil conservation")
1950 Natural Resources Task Force of the Hoover Commission
1949 William Vogt